


Both is Good

by TurtleTotem



Series: Tumblr Ficlets [3]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 21:06:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9566330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TurtleTotem/pseuds/TurtleTotem
Summary: For the prompt "Charles proposing to Erik? Or asking Erik out? Or both. Both is good." On Tumblrhere.





	

It had started over a year ago, when they tried to open the door to the sandwich shop at the same time, fumbling all over it and each other as they dodged in the same direction and then simultaneously tried for the door handle again. Once inside, they of course had to stand awkwardly together in line, and be forced to the same table with their orders because it was the only one left.

“If you follow me back to my office, I’m calling the police,” Charles had said.

 _“I was just thinking that,”_ Erik said, and they both collapsed into laughter.

And then they _did_ end up following each other back across the street to the office building they both worked in, for different companies on different floors.

Now, of course, they did lunch together on purpose, spending the hour in ceaseless conversation—trading rants about peculiar coworkers and irritating bosses, current events, literature and music, really anything that came to mind. It was a lovely respite from the daily grind.

In fact, it was by far Charles’s favorite part of the day, and for a week now he’d been gathering the nerve to suggest expanding it beyond lunch hour.

“Are you all right, Charles?” Erik asked, eyes narrowing as Charles pushed away his half-eaten sandwich.

“I’m fine,” Charles blurted, eyes widening, the butterflies in his stomach worsening as he looked at Erik, who only raised an eyebrow.

“It’s, um,” Charles continued, glancing at his watch, “it’s almost time to head back. I, um, just wanted to ask you—”

But Erik had stood, with a startled glance at his own watch, and the sound of his chair drowning out Charles’s last few words. “You’re right! I need to hit the restroom before we go.”

“Right,” Charles said weakly as Erik dashed away, toward the men’s room behind Charles, on the other side of the shop.

 _Keep it together, Xavier_ , Charles told himself, putting his head in his hands _. Decide what you’re going to say, and say it the moment he gets back._ “Easy peasy,” he muttered under his breath. “Just… open your mouth and lay it all out. ‘Hey, Erik, I’ve been thinking about how utterly gorgeous you are—I think about that a lot, actually'—all right, no, that might be creepy. ‘Hey, Erik, what would you think of going out to a restaurant or a diner or a movie or a picnic or a bar or literally anything because I would literally do whatever you want—’ okay no that’s worse.“ 

By this time he had his head up again, directing his comments to the empty seat across from him. "Hey, Erik, I know that we’ve never even spoken outside of lunch hour, but I really think we ought to go for a drink—and maybe spend the weekend in a glorious foreign city that we see nothing of because we never get out of bed—we’ll get married at sunset on a beach with flowers in our hair—adopt some kids, a lot of kids, a baker’s dozen, why not, I love kids, what do you say—”

“Yes.”

Charles choked, staring ahead in blank, abject horror for a moment. Then he slowly, slowly turned his head toward… Erik, standing behind him. Grinning as wide as Charles had ever seen him.

Charles, face afire, could not make a single sound as Erik walked past him to his seat, clapping him on the shoulder as he went.

“Yes,” Erik repeated once he’d sat down. “Well, I can’t commit to the dozen kids just yet, but drinks, definitely. We can use the time to discuss the details of that weekend in bed.”

Charles couldn’t help the strangled, giddy laugh that escaped him, and to his surprise, Erik laughed too, not unlike the day they met. Erik was nervous too, he realized abruptly—Charles could hear it in his laugh, see it in the tilt of his eyebrows. Nervous but happy, eager, saying yes.

“After work, then,” Charles said, letting himself smile and believe this was happening.

“You know where to find me,” Erik said, and pushed his chair back again. Charles was stunned back into silence when Erik leaned forward and dashed a kiss against the corner of his mouth. In the next moment, he was walking out the door of the sandwich shop, calling over his shoulder, “Come on, we’ll be late!”

Charles scrambled to his feet and ran after him, laughing.


End file.
